Eighteen down at Royal County Down

NEWCASTLE, Northern Ireland – A few weeks back Graeme McDowell was playing a friendly round at Royal County Down when he mentioned how difficult it will be to hit the pitched and parched fairways at Royal St. George's for next week's Open Championship.

Funny that G-Mac would make that observation at County Down, where despite a particularly wet summer is still at its bouncy best.

As Adam Scott observed at last week's AT&T National: 'We're used to drives hit down the middle of the fairway staying in the middle of the fairway.'